Sunrunner's Fate
by Nawyn
Summary: Roelstra's search for a wife leads him to Andrade's home.
1. Vision in the Grove

Sunrunner's Fate  
  
Chapter One  
  
Andrade stepped lightly over the grass and flowers, making her way to the pine grove near Goddess Keep. Her steps were careful and measured, but her heart was threatening to leap from her throat with excitement and nervousness. The sunlight was warm on her naked body, and she used the warmth to give herself time to swallow, breathe, and collect herself. When she felt clearheaded, Andrade proceeded toward the pines and the rock cairn, where she might catch a glimpse of her future - if the Goddess willed it.  
  
She drew level with the cairn, caught some water in her hand, and spilled the required drops to the Childtree and the Maidentree. Then she moved her hands into the water of the cairn and called Fire, feeling an exhilarated rush as the flames leaped into being at her command. She tugged on a long strand of her blond hair; it came loose from her scalp, and she dropped it into the water. Then, her breath coming in short intakes of anticipation, Andrade waited, watching her reflection and praying that she would see.  
  
Her face - not beautiful, but determined and strong - slowly slid away from the water. Andrade was barely breathing, her eyes wide. What now? she thought.  
  
Another face drifted into the water in place of her own - a man's face, handsome, but proud and haughty. There was a coldness in his eyes and a sneer touching his lips that made Andrade shiver with fear and loathing. She thought she could see her own face, sadder and worn, just hidden behind his.  
  
She pulled her hands from the water, gasping in shock. Was this to be her future? This cold powerful man who would dominate every aspect of her life? Was she to become that old, sad, tired woman?  
  
The pine grove did not seem so peaceful now. The sunlight, which had been warm and welcome, now felt to Andrade like that man's cold eyes, watching her, appraising her like goods bought at market. Slowly she got to her feet and backed out of the grove, her eyes darting nervously around as though she might spot him hidden somewhere, waiting to waylay her.  
  
When Andrade was clear of the pine grove, she snatched her clothes, threw them on, and ran as fast as her feet would carry her back to Goddess Keep.  
  
***  
  
The Lord of Goddess Keep was a powerful man, in looks as well as fact. His black hair was rapidly going white, but it only added to his impressiveness. His was among the keenest minds on the continent. And through his Sunrunners, he had a hold in the land of every prince.  
  
And it was to him that Andrade went as soon as she returned to Goddess Keep.  
  
He looked up in surprise from his papers when she knocked on his door and then burst in without waiting for his permission to enter. He knew her on sight - Andrade of Catha Freehold was one of his most promising pupils, maybe the most promising. But whenever he had seen her before, she had been in control of herself, and often the situation he encountered her in. The Andrade who slammed his door open and shut without his consent was not the Andrade he had seen before. This was a woman whose face was stark white with fear, whose strong hands were trembling, whose eyes were huge and dark. The Lord of Goddess Keep was a little scared when he looked up and saw her. "Sit down, Andrade," he invited, pointing to a chair in a corner of his room. She obeyed, sinking into the wooden chair with relief. "Why did you need to see me? What was so urgent that it could wait neither for later in the day or permission to enter my room?"  
  
Andrade flushed in embarrassment, but made no apologies. "My lord, I asked the Womantree for a vision of my future today," she began, and quickly described to him the face that had sneered at her from the water. "Can this - will this vision come to pass, no matter what I do? Can it be changed at all?"  
  
The Lord was not so old that he could not feel sympathy for the terror implicit in her voice. He laid down his quill and looked at her intently. "You fear this vision. You fear its coming to fulfillment more than anything else in the world." She nodded and swallowed hard, but her eyes met his unblinkingly. "So I tell you, no vision is written in stone. Your fate can be changed, Sunrunner." Across the room, Andrade gave an involuntary and explosive sigh of relief. "How, I do not know," the Lord went on, correctly guessing what her next words would be and answering them before she spoke them. "That lies with you."  
  
Andrade rose and bowed. "Thank you, my lord," she whispered. She made for the door, and was about to open it when the Lord said her name. She turned. "Yes, my lord?"  
  
A small smile of pity quirked the corners of his mouth up. "I would caution you, Andrade, not to live your life in fear of this vision. Do not run from it your whole life, and forget to live. Humans were not made to be so."  
  
Andrade bowed again, murmured, "My lord," and fled. 


	2. Sights on the Sunlight

Sunrunner's Fate Chapter Two  
  
Quietly, Andrade slipped out of the room, closing the door silently behind her. She was glad to be home, but sometimes Milar was impossible. Andrade had found that a good solution was to quietly absent herself from wherever Milar was at that time. Rude it might be, but she had never been good at being polite, and at least Milar got her point when she did that.  
  
It was hard, sometimes, to be around Milar too much. Andrade had known for ten years that she would never be beautiful, that her twin sister had all the luck where looks were concerned. At the moment, with her father contemplating the chances for his daughters in the marriage market, Andrade found it almost unbearable to sit and stand quietly next to the sister who would sweep every single man she met off his feet with a mere glance from her blue eyes. It was likewise impossible to not see herself in that picture a moment later, trailing in Milar's shadow, with not a glance thrown her way. Andrade bit her lip as the image entered her mind.  
  
Truly, she scolded herself, it should not come as such a surprise! It's probably a good thing I'm the one who turned out to be faradhi. I wouldn't get far questing for a husband - I'm not even sure I want one - and Milar will do much better as some man's wife than I would.  
  
The thoughts were true, but they did not stop her heart from giving an involuntary twist at the thought of her coming humiliation. Once her father made it known that his two daughters were ready for marriage, suitors would come to Catha Freehold, and then the unpleasant image prevalent in her mind would come true.  
  
Thinking of visions drew Andrade's mind inexorably to the vision she had seen by the Womantree when she was sixteen, three years ago. As always, an icy shiver raced up and down her spine as the unknown man's face blotted out the picture that had been in her mind before. Andrade gripped the sconce on the wall that held a torch, not caring that the metal sconce bit into her palms and pressed her Sunrunner rings into her fingers. She wondered who the man was, and whether or not she was doing whatever would keep her out of his grasp. Don't live life in fear of him, she warned herself, remembering the Lord of Goddess Keep's words to her three years ago, but the words were very faint in her head next to the much more real image of that man's face.  
  
Suddenly Andrade tore her hands away from the wall sconce. She had not looked for the man on the sunlight. In fact, she had only just received her ring for being able to do such a thing, and this was the first time the thought had entered her mind. Andrade snatched her skirts in both hands and ran for a tower, any tower where the sun reached.  
  
She was in luck. Close to her room was a small tower directly in the path of the noonday sun. Wondering with half her mind if the location of her room had been chosen for the convenience of this tower, Andrade ran up the stairs leading to the top and burst out onto the parapet. The sunlight called to her, teasing her, asking her why she had not called on them before for help.  
  
Andrade smiled at its silent implications and raised her hands. Her rings sparkled as she wove the sunlight with utmost care and sent her mind out onto it. The sunlight showed her Catha Freehold, the golden sands of the Desert, and the disputed island of Kierst-Isel. It wandered over Princemarch and flew to the other side of the continent, but Andrade did not see any man with the face from her vision. I suppose it's a blessing, she thought. At least I don't have to look at him yet.  
  
But she did not withdraw from the sunlight. The feeling of riding the light was exhilarating, and she caught her breath and leaped with it, plunging and jumping everywhere it reached, giving herself momentarily to the joy of the sun. She wondered briefly what it would be like to stay one with the light forever - and then she remembered that she could so easily be shadow- lost that she turned and started quickly back to her body.  
  
Her path took her over the roads from Princemarch to Catha Freehold, and as she went briskly along the sunlight, she caught sight of a train of people making their way to her home as she was. Here comes the first suitor, Andrade thought, and on a whim dived down the sunlight to see who aspired to her hand or Milar's.  
  
It was a huge train. There were two large wooden carts full of gifts in the middle, and many people in fine clothes rode before, after, and around it, along with the servants. Andrade was impressed in spite of herself as she looked at the finely-clothed riders. One of these was her prospective suitor, and it would be to her benefit to know who he was. She scanned and discarded ten men before she found the eleventh - and her heart nearly stopped with fear and dread. She knew that face - or rather, she knew what it would look like in about thirty years. She recognized the eyes, the mouth that could so easily curl into a sneer that would send chills down her spine and along her flesh. This was the man from her vision three years ago, the man who fate would have her marry and hate.  
  
Andrade flew back along the sunlight to her body, and reentered it with a gasp and a jolt. It could not be coming true! It could not be; after all this time, he was coming to claim her, his destined prize. Not when she had fought against the mere thought of him for three years, not when the vision that had made her cold in the pine grove was all too vivid before her eyes. Andrade clenched her hands into fists. He was a day away from Catha Freehold at the most.  
  
In one day she would have to meet her fate and make the decisions that could cast her away from that path forever or draw her inexorably onto it.  
  
Her mind went blank, and the stones on the floor rushed to meet her.  
  
***  
  
"Andrade? Andrade, wake up!" She knew that voice. It was Milar, sounding utterly panicked. "Oh, Andrade, please wake up!" her twin pleaded. Her hands touched Andrade's shoulders hesitantly.  
  
What was she doing here on the floor of the tower? Andrade opened her eyes to her sister's worried face - and remembered why she had collapsed on the tower floor. She sat up and caught Milar's hands. "Milar," she gasped, staring her sister in the eyes, "has Father said anything about a suitor? Anything at all?"  
  
Milar looked down from Andrade's face to her hands, bearing her Sunrunner rings. "Is this - did you see something?" she asked slowly. When she raised her eyes to Andrade's again, they were fearful.  
  
"I did." Andrade swallowed. "Answer me, Milar. Has Father said anything?"  
  
"N - no," Milar stammered, unnerved by her twin's feverish eyes. "No - well, only that he expects they'll start arriving soon."  
  
Andrade stood slowly and walked to the parapet, looking out over the land. "They will," she said heavily. "They will."  
  
Only the swish of silk on stone and near-silent footfalls told Andrade that Milar had withdrawn. Andrade remained on the parapet for a long time, staring silently out at the plain over which the man would soon ride.  
  
But even though she had been forewarned, she was not ready when, at breakfast the next morning, she heard the gates opening, and saw a servant run in, bow to her father, and gasp, "Prince Roelstra of Princemarch is here to visit, my lord!" 


	3. Visit in the Castle

Sunrunner's Fate  
  
Chapter Three  
  
Prince Roelstra of Princemarch, Andrade thought through the haze of fear in her mind. So that was his name. It was harsh in her thoughts. She whispered it to herself, and it was just as harsh on her tongue.  
  
Her father sat back, looking as smug as a cat. "Show him in, man!" he ordered the servant who had brought the news of Roelstra's arrival. The servant skipped quickly back out of the hall, and the lord of Catha Freehold looked back at his daughters. "Be on your best behavior," he advised, calmly scooping eggs onto his plate. "Princemarch is one of the wealthiest princedoms on this whole continent. It would be in your best interests to please Prince Roelstra."  
  
I'm sure, Andrade thought grimly, struggling to keep her fluttering stomach from releasing her breakfast. And I'm sure it would also be good for you, Father, to be allied with Princemarch by marriage. She took a gulp of water to steady herself. Milar, sitting across the table from her, was much whiter than she had been when breakfast began. Andrade did not think it was with eagerness.  
  
The servant returned, more collected than he had been before, and announced with a flourish, "My lord, I present to you Prince Roelstra of Princemarch!" He stepped away from the door as Roelstra and his entourage smoothly invaded the hall of Catha Freehold's lord. Andrade bristled as she caught the prince's coolly appraising look, which passed over her entire body and on to her sister's as well. Roelstra seemed to sense her antagonism – the corners of his mouth twisted for an instant into the sneer she had seen in her worst nightmares. Andrade shivered and clutched the sides of her chair as Roelstra made his bow to her father. She barely heard any of the words they spoke, but she did catch her father's invitation that Roelstra join them for breakfast. At the words, Andrade broke out in a cold sweat of terror. She could not stand to be with this man for more than a minute! She dropped her napkin onto the table, stood up – and caught a glimpse of Milar's face. Her sister was pronouncedly pale, and Andrade recognized the shaking hands, a sure sign that Milar was scared as well. All her resolve was replaced by pity and sympathy for her sister, and she remained seated. Milar shot her a look so painfully grateful that it hurt to receive it.  
  
Roelstra sat down next to Andrade. "I was lucky enough to pass through most of your lands on my way," he said, reaching for a plate of small pastries. "This is a lovely holding, my lord."  
  
"I'm afraid that my wife must take the credit for that," demurred Andrade's father. "It was her concern to see that the holding was prosperous. I have continued with her work after her death, but it is not the same." Andrade picked at her food as her father and Roelstra continued making polite conversation.  
  
Suddenly her father exclaimed, "But where are my manners? My lord prince, may I present my daughters, Milar and Andrade." Milar looked up and gave Roelstra the most perfunctory of nods before devoting all her attention to her remaining food. Andrade did not even look at him. "They're a bit shy," her father said quickly, to cover for their lack of hospitality. "They're not at their best in the morning."  
  
"No?" Roelstra raised his eyebrows. "Then it would be an even greater pleasure to see them later in the day." Andrade saw how his eyes gravitated to Milar, and she clenched her hands in the tablecloth. No one may look at my sister that way, not even you, my lord prince! she fumed silently. "As it is," Roelstra continued, "they are feast enough for the eyes."  
  
Andrade stood up so violently that she knocked her chair back. "Excuse us both, Father. Neither Milar nor I are very hungry." With what might have been a gasp of relief, Milar too stood up, and she followed Andrade out of the hall and into her room.  
  
Andrade made sure the door was bolted securely before she turned to her sister. "Mila," she asked tentatively, using their mother's pet name for her twin, "are you...?" Milar had sat down on the bed and was clutching the bedpost, breathing fast and heavily. "Milar?" Andrade tried again.  
  
"Yes," Milar whispered. "Yes, I'll be all right." She looked up at Andrade. Her eyes were as wide as a frightened child's. "I hate him already," she whispered. "I don't even know why – there's certainly no reason to – but I hate him."  
  
For perhaps the first time in her life, Andrade felt as though she could love her sister. Milar normally irked her no end, but now they were united against a common enemy, and she sat beside her and put her arms around her. Milar reached out and clung to Andrade. She didn't cry, but her back heaved up and down as though she were. Her face was dry, though, when she lifted it. "Andrade, you hate him too, don't you?" she asked.  
  
"Yes," Andrade admitted. "Mila, there's something I never told you. I saw Roelstra in a vision."  
  
Milar's eyes shot open. "In one of your faradhi visions?" she asked breathlessly.  
  
Andrade nodded. "When I asked for a vision of my future, I saw his face overshadowing mine." She took her sister's hands and held them. "So whatever comes, Mila, if he's to be the fate of one of us, he'll be in mine, not yours. I didn't see you anywhere in my vision."  
  
With a broken gasp of relief, Milar threw her arms around Andrade. "But he mustn't be for either of us! Isn't there something we can do?"  
  
"No vision is written in stone," Andrade whispered, repeating the words that the Lord of Goddess Keep had told her when she came to him that morning. "Fate can be changed." Milar, evidently accepting this as a promise that it would be, relaxed and patted Andrade's back. Andrade, however, stared unseeingly at the stone wall of the chamber, wondering if she would make the right choice that would rid her of Roelstra, or if she would, by trying to do that, set the snare for herself. "Fate can be changed!" she whispered fiercely, staring out the window. "Fate can be changed." 


End file.
